Lexington Elite Showcase: All-Defense
One of the latest events on the 2021 travel schedule occurred in the suburbs of Columbia as many teams and players from around the state converged on the Midlands for the Lexington Elite Showcase. Hosted by Carolina Pistons, kids from…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingOne of the latest events on the 2021 travel schedule occurred in the suburbs of Columbia as many teams and players from around the state converged on the Midlands for the Lexington Elite Showcase.
Hosted by Carolina Pistons, kids from a wide variety of age groups were represented as third graders all the way up to the varsity level were all in attendance for what was an exciting day of basketball.
We at Prep Girls Hoops were in attendance as well to take in the festivities and observe many of the Palmetto State’s rising talents. Here is a look at who displayed plenty of defense.
Taelor Sutton – 2028 – Palmetto Pressure – It is more than appropriate that Sutton plays on a travel team with “pressure” in its name because she put more than a fair share of defensive pressure when her sixth grade Palmetto Pressure team matched up against Team USC’s 7th grade team. It felt as if every possession Team USC had quickly turned into a Palmetto Pressure half-court steal created by Sutton followed by a bucket out in transition. Even if she has not come up with the steal, her defensive work will cause problems for ball handlers and one gets the sense that a turnover is seconds away. She also showcased a great deal of passing ability.
Lauren Middleton Lauren Middleton 5'6" | CG Cross | 2025 State SC – 2025 – Team USC – Here is someone that will be talked about a lot by South Carolina basketball fans in the coming years. Middleton is nowhere near the bottom of the Palmetto State’s robust girls basketball food chain and she has aspirations on getting to the top. This past season at Cross, she averaged four steals, over six rebounds and nearly 12 points per contest. Much of that was on display for Team USC in Lexington.
She will drain shots from anywhere on the floor – near the rim or from range. Middleton will get to the line and sink he free throw tries. She will also play a great deal of defense and force opponents into turnovers. One of her performances during the weekend earned her Player of the Game honors in which she scored 19 points, hauled in eight rebounds, dished out six assists and collected five steals.
Caroline Tucker – 2026 – LMR – At times, the players that can create the highest possible impact are the ones that wear the lowest possible number. Tucker wore No. 0 with LMR and brought a great deal of talent with her to aid her team’s efforts. Among them was interior defense. Another that Tucker showed was court vision by making efficient passes that got LMR out of precarious spots. Tucker also managed to attract contact and find herself at the free throw line.
Armani Johnson – 2024 – Team USC 8th – A.J. makes an impact in a big way. In Team USC’s contest against Lady T.R.U. (Georgia), Johnson was part of the starting five and proved exactly why she belong there. Johnson let everyone know of her prowess as a rebounder in addition to her skill for getting out of precarious situations with her dribbling abilities. She also brought a great deal of defense on the interior and her game includes an all-around ability to make plays on the offensive side as well.
Kate Bobo – 2026 – Lexington Hoopsters Mills – Do not make a basketball booboo around Bobo – she will make you and your team pay. Actually, it can be challenging to avoid making a basketball booboo around Bobo with the way which she plays defense. If a shot does not find its way through the basket, she will position herself to corral a rebound. One of many “right place, right time” players that knows how to position herself on either end of the floor to make plays, Bobo attends Ben Lippen and is the daughter of former University of South Carolina Football Coach Mike Bobo.
Bryanna Belton – 2025 – Laurens County Sparks – Belton proved to be a standout on a team with an “LC” in its name as said team paid a visit to another notable “LC” in SC. She was one of the five who started the game for the Laurens County Sparks and Belton gives a height dimension to her team which is also exemplified by her wingspan. She managed to put in a good bit of defensive work and an element of that was her ability to do work on the glass.